Welcome

Welcome to frenchfoodiedownunder!

My nickname is Doe and most of my free time revolves around food & wine. I love shopping for beautiful ingredients, I love cooking and I love eating out. Most importantly, I love sharing my passion for the culinary arts.

I first arrived in Australia in 2005 as an exchange student and my first concern, well before leaving France, was how I would survive without good food & wine. Thankfully, I could not have been more mistaken about eating & drinking in Australia! This Sydney-based blog is a testament to the richness of the Australian food scene. Both sections, “Coup de Coeur” and “Restaurant Reviews”, aim at assisting you, the readers, discover worthwhile products, shops, cooking events and restaurants. “Coup de Coeur” is a French expression used to describe the feeling of instantly falling in love with something.

The recipe section showcases some of my favourite recipes which I have learned, developed and re-developed since I started cooking as a child. Seasonality of produce is always at the front of my mind and will drive the recipes published. The science of food is another topic close to my heart. I will, through the “Did you know?” section of each recipe, attempt to explain the how and why behind a number of culinary methods and traditions. Although I try to make the recipe guidelines as clear as possible, the aim is not necessarily for you to replicate this recipe exactly, but instead to identify the essential steps / ingredients as opposed to the ones that can be tweaked as you desire.

As you will notice throughout the blog, I am obsessed with a number of ingredients, namely: citrus, garlic, chilli, goat cheese and dark chocolate. These are my favourites as they are both tasty and easily combined with other ingredients. Herbs and spices of all origins also hold a special place in my kitchen. It is hard to pick favourites, but I do use large amounts of parsley, coriander, thyme and cumin. There are very few foods I do not like, with one of Australia’s favourite vegetables, beetroot, being a notable exception. That said, top chefs like Tony Bilson, Mark Best and Chui Lee Luk have managed to make me enjoy beetroot on a few occasions.

I am also a health-conscious cook and will tend to modify recipes to increase fruits and vegetables and reduce bad fats and sugar. That said, the key to a healthy diet is balance and I oppose a blanket ban of any particular foods unless medically required.

Whether you are simply passing through Australia or living in this lucky country, I hope this blog will assist you in discovering the marvels of its culinary scene. Please do not hesitate to leave comments as I am looking forward to exchanging ideas and opinions.